A party to fear

Published: Friday, July 5, 2013 5:30 a.m. CDT

To the Editor:

As Illinois voters prepare to enter another election cycle, I’m sure we can look forward to Illinois Republicans making an attempt to break Democratic control of state government at the legislative and gubernatorial levels.

I wonder, though, for those of us who might support Republicans as a way to offset Democratic monopolization of state government, or as a way to get better control of the state budget and taxation, how can we be sure Republicans wouldn’t overreach?

In state after state where they’ve won power (Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, etc.), empowered Republicans have attempted to enact voter suppression laws and draconian abortion restrictions. They’ve thrown roadblocks into expansion of gay rights and the enactment of Obamacare without offering reasonable, or even coherent, alternatives.

I might vote for Republican fiscal policy, but I’m so scared of their social and other hidden agendas, I can’t.

In the end, I’d rather have taxes that are too high than freedoms that are too constrained.

When the national Republican party and the way they govern other states changes, perhaps my opinion of this party will change. But, for now, for me, they’re a party to fear, not support.